Idealized Marsh Simulations: Sensitivity of Hurricane Surge Elevation and Wave Height to Bottom Friction

The purpose of this CHETN is to examine changes in peak surge elevation and wave height due to changes in the frictional resistance of a marsh. Landscape features with vegetation have the potential to reduce storm surge elevations and dissipate wave energy. Land elevations greater than the storm sur...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Loder, Nicholas M, Cialone, Mary A, Irish, Jennifer L, Wamsley, Ty V
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
BARRIERS
BATHYMETRY
BOTTOM
DENSITY
ELEVATION
FRICTION
HEIGHT
HURRICANES
Hydrology, Limnology and Potamology
MARSHES
Meteorology
RESISTANCE
SIMULATION
SURGES
SWAMPS
VEGETATION
WAVE ENERGY
WAVE HEIGHT
WAVES
WETLANDS
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Summary:The purpose of this CHETN is to examine changes in peak surge elevation and wave height due to changes in the frictional resistance of a marsh. Landscape features with vegetation have the potential to reduce storm surge elevations and dissipate wave energy. Land elevations greater than the storm surge elevation act as a physical barrier and create bathymetric resistance for the surge and waves. Landscape features such as marshes also have the potential to create frictional resistance and affect storm surge and wave energy even when below the surge elevation. This is the third in a series of technical notes on the influence of marshes on storm surge and waves. The analysis in this note isolates the sensitivity of the modeled storm surge elevation and wave height to the magnitude of bottom friction change and indicates, in a qualitative sense, the degree to which a marsh density may reduce storm surge elevation and wave height on the coast. The magnitude of bottom friction was systematically increased within a hypothetical marsh area to understand how marsh vegetation type and density may modify storm parameters (surge elevation and wave height) on the coast immediately landward of the marsh.